Godolphin’s Guineas girls to have a huge influence Saturday

Clinton Payne - Wednesday October 11

Bookmakers believe Godolphin have the $500,000 Group I Thousand Guineas (1600m) at its mercy and two of the racing and breeding superpower's previous winners can also have an influence in two black-type events on Saturday.

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Guelph winning the 2013 Thousand Guineas. Photo: Steve Hart

James Cummings saddles up Group I Flight Stakes winner Alizee in the fillies' classic at Caulfield while two Godolphin-owned foals of former Thousand Guineas winners run in Melbourne and Sydney.

Alizee is a dominant $2.20 favourite to repeat Global Glamour's feat of last year – the Flight Stakes/Thousand Guineas double and Cummings says the classy filly, that is built more like a colt, says she remains at her fighting weight ahead of Saturday's feature event.

"I couldn't be much happier with the way she handled Caulfield on Tuesday. Her work was perfect," Cummings said. "She got around the track without any trouble and the change of scenery will keep her stimulated.

"She's deep into her preparation but that doesn't bother me too much. She has enough condition on her to allow her to hold her form from her last start which was a fabulous effort.

"She came out of the Flight Stakes better than from the Tea Rose at her previous start.

"Everything I've asked of her, she has done.

"We're taking on the Melbourne fillies on their home patch, but we're happy with the way she's arrived and we're looking forward to the challenge. "

In 2013 Guelph was Peter Snowden's second last Group I winner for the operation when racing under the Darley banner and her first foal, a colt by Lonhro, the 2001 Caulfield Guineas winner, named Encryption debuts in Saturday's Listed Debutante Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield.

Trainer Cummings said Encryption's training track deeds should stand him in good stead after the performances of Ranier (2nd) and Sanglier (6th) in last Saturday's Listed Maribyrnong Trial at Flemington.

"There's something fitting about Guelph's first foal making its debut on the day she won her fourth Group I in the Thousand Guineas," Cummings said.

"He's a lovely colt who's gone ahead since he jumped out up the straight at Flemington a couple of weeks ago.

"He's an unassuming type and there's a lot to like about him going into this race.

"But we've got our feet on the ground. He's certainly got something, but he needs to show it on race day.

"We feel like he's going every bit as good as the pair who ran so well at Flemington last weekend."

At Randwick, Impending, another son of Lonhro, makes his spring return after claiming the Group I Stradbroke Handicap in Brisbane during the winner.

The son of 2005 Thousand Guineas winner Mnemosyne resumes in the $500,000 Listed Sydney Stakes (1200m) at weight-for-age but his trainer has some resovations about what to expect from the four-year-old on Saturday.

"Even though he won on debut as a two-year-old, he's typically taken time to ease into his preparations since then," he said

"He'll take some racing but he's improved dramatically from his second trial.

"He looks to have muscled up really well since his break.

"He needs to take a step up to weight-for-age now having won a Group I handicap on the limit but he mixed it with horses like Clearly Innocent and In Her Time in that campaign, so he looks like he's going to really enjoy being back at Randwick on a dry track and getting the opportunity to go to another level.

"It's very important that he runs a really positive race first-up and while there's still some improvement to come, it looks like he's ready to run very well. "

Impending is a $7.50 chance on Saturday.

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